Team Hosts MWC Foes Air Force and Wyoming

With a 3-2 league and 9-8 overall record, the BYU women's basketball team spends this week at home hosting Air Force and Wyoming. The Cougars host AF (7-10, 1-4) on Wed. Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. On Sat. Feb. 2 the team hosts league leading and No. 18/19 ranked Wyoming (18-1, 6-0) in a 4 p.m. matchup.

Television: Saturday's game scheduled to air on BYUTV has been canceled due to coverage of the funeral for LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley.

Radio: Saturday's game vs.Wyoming will air on KQMB, 96.7 FM Radio immediately following the conclusion of the men's basketball game from Laramie.

Internet: Saturday's game will be heard on the internet at http://www.byuradio.org/streaming, immediately following the conclusion of the men's basketball game from Laramie. Jay Monsen will call the action for the games.

Cougar All-Acccess: Those who have signed up for Cougar All-Access can also view the games on their computers.

BYU Probable Starters

No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

22 Mindy Nielson G 5-10 Fr 6.5 2.9

30 Mallary G. Carling G 5-10 Sr 13.9 3.8

32 Shawnee Slade F 5-11 Jr 7.2 5.8

45 Keilani Moeaki F 6-2 Fr 5.5 3.9

52 Lauren R. Varley C 6-3 Sr 7.7 8.4

Reserve Players

No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

54 Cassie King F 6-3 Jr 4.8 3.0

23 Coriann Wood F 6-1 Fr 3.7 2.3

3 Jazmine Foreman G 5-5 Fr 2.4 0.9

14 Sarah Red G/F 5-11 Jr (rs) 2.2 0.0

5 Ashley Cheesman F 6-0 Sr 1.9 1.7

13 Jaime Judkins G 5-6 So 1.2 0.7

55 Megan Marks F 6-2 Fr 0.4 1.1

0 Lauren Nichols F 6-0 Fr (rs)0.4 0.1

Team Stats -- 2007-08

-- Shooting from the field: (.387, 348-900)

-- Shooting from the free-throw line: (.646, 164-254)

-- Shooting from three-point line: (.298, 88-295)

-- Average points per game: 55.8

-- Average rebounds per game: 39.4

byu quick hits

The team

-- Two starters are among the six letterwinners returning for the 2007-08 season. The team also returns two redshirts in addition to six very talented newcomers

-- The seniors are MWC Second Team honoree guard Mallary Gillespie-Carling and MWC Honorable Mention Lauren Riley-Varley. Both were also named to the 2007 MWC All-Tournament Team.

-- Among the letterwinners are junior forward/guard combo Shawnee Slade, senior forward Ashley Cheesman and junior center Cassie King. The trio return with the most playing experience and an understanding of coach Judkins' game plan. Guard Jaime Judkins who also comes in with significant playing time experience.

-- Two redshirts who were on the team last year, freshman forward Lauren Nichols and sophomore guard Sarah Red, a transfer from the University of Utah, will also provide solid experience on the team as newcomers.

-- Six new incoming freshmen will take to the court in 2007-08. They are:

-- The captains on the 2007-08 season are seniors Mallary Gillespie-Carling and Lauren Riley-Varley

--When playing on the road this season, BYU has a 4-5 record to date.

--With the 67 points scored vs. UNLV on 01/16/08, BYU improved to 7-0 this season when scoring at least 60 points a game.

--The 6,206 fans in attendance in the Marriott Center for the Utah game on 01/19/08 set a new school record.

-- The 55 rebounds by the Cougars vs Fresno State on 11/17/07 are a season high and rank tied for third place in the program's history.

-- The win over Fresno State improved BYU's all-time record in home

openers to 24-11 and under coach Judkins is now 6-1 in home openers.

-- BYU has had three players score in double figures in three contests to date.

-- The 78 points and the 55 rebounds recorded in the win over Fresno State are the most in both categories to date.

-- In the win over Utah Valley, the team scored 72 points which is second best to date and the 20-point margin of victory is the most this season.

-- The 20 assists in the win over Utah Valley on 12/08/07 were the most to date.

--In the Dec. 8th win over the Wolverines, the 17 steals were a new season best.

-- BYU scored 35 points in the first half vs. Utah Valley, the second most scored in a first half and the fourth most in any half to date.

-- The Cougars held CSU to 39 total points in the first league game of the year on 1/12/08, the lowest total points scored by an opponent to date. The Rams only scored 16 points in the first half of action, the lowest by an opponent to date.

-- Starting lineups: Record

Foreman, Carling, Slade, Cheesman, Varley: 2-2

Foreman, Carling, Slade, King, Varley: 1-1

Judkins, Carling, Slade, Wood, Varley: 0-1

Foreman, Carling, Slade, Moeaki, Varley: 1-2

Nielson, Carling, Slade, Moeaki, Varley: 4-2

Nielson, Carling, Slade, Chessman, Varley: 1-0

PLAYER

-- Center Lauren Riley-Varley: in the UNLV game on 1/16/08, she picked up her third double double of the season and eighth overall with the 14 points and 11 rebounds. She picked up back-to-back double doubles in the first two games of this season with 14 points and 11 rebounds against UCSB and 16 points and 13 boards at Arkansas State. The 16 points at Ark. St., were season highs to date. Varley scored 10 points in the game at Utah St., on 12/29/07 for her fourth double figure game this season and 23rd career double digit contest.

--Guard Mallary Gillespie-Carling: has scored in double figures in 59 games during her career, 12 so far this season including the 14 game and team high points at UNM on 01/26/08. She currently ranks 15th in BYU's 1,000-point club with 1,242 as of 01/28/08. In the home game vs. Utah on 01/19/08 she tallied five treys for new season highs. In the game vs. UNLV on 1/16/08 she scored 17 first-half points, the most she has scored in any half this season, and her 10 free throws were the most she has made in any game during her career.

-- Guard Mindy Nielson: tallied a season and career-high 15 points at Weber State on 12/12/07/07. Picked up season and career highs in blocks (5), steals, (5), rebounds (6) vs. Utah Valley St. on 12/08/07. She has scored in double digits in four contests to date.

-- Guard Shawnee Slade: scored 12 points in the game at UNM on 01/26/08 for her 16th career double digit contest and her fifth this season. She led the team in scoring with 15 points vs. Utah Valley on 12/08/07 marking her 13th career double digit game contest. Grabbed a season and career high 11 rebounds vs. New Mexico State on 12/05/07. The 11 boards were team and game highs as well. Picked up 10 points vs. UCLA on 12/15/07.

-- Center Cassie King: scored 13 points vs. UCLA on 12/15/07 for new career highs in points. Has had two double digit scoring games this season so far. Grabbed a season-high six rebounds vs. Utah Valley St., on 12/08/07. In the game vs. UNLV she tied a season high with six boards.

-- Forward Keilani Moeaki: tallied a career- and game-high 19 points in the game vs. Hartford on 11/20/07. Had two blocks at Weber St. on 12/12/97 for new season and career highs. Has scored in double figures in three games to date.

-- Forward Coriann Wood: picked up season and career highs in points with 13 in the league game at CSU on 01/12/08. In that same game, she tallied season and career highs in three-pointers with three. She grabbed season and career highs in rebounds in the game at UConn on 11/29/07 with five boards. Wood started her first collegiate game at Sacred Heart on 12/01/07.

-- Guard Jazmine Foreman: dished out season and career highs in assists with eight vs. Utah Valley on 12/08/07.

-- Guard Jaime Judkins: dished out three assists in the game at Weber St. on 12/12/07 for new season and career highs.

About This Week's League Opponents

AIR FORCE ACADEMY - Provo, Utah at 7 p.m. (01/30/08)

The Air Force Falcons have compiled a 7-10, 1-4 record so far this season, picking up a 56-43 victory at CSU on 01/23/08 and will have an entire week to prepare for the contest with BYU. Two players score in double figures for the Academy led by senior forward Alecia Steele with 13.5 points and a team high 7.3 rebounds per game. Another senior, Pamela Findlay, is contributing with 11.9 points and grabs 4.5 boards per contest. Raimee Beck, a 5-8 freshman guard leads the team in assists dishing out a season-high 48 to date. Ardie McInelly is in her eighth season with the Air Force.

Air Force Academy Probable Starters

Pos. # Name Ht Yr PPG RPG

F 32 Alecia Steele 6-0 Sr 14.7 8.5

C 43 Kim Kreke 6-3 Jr 11.9 4.5

G 20 Raimee Beck 5-8 Fr 9.2 3.4

G 22 Jamie Davis 5-7 Sr 5.1 2.6

G 30 Pamela Findlay 5-11 Sr 11.9 4.5

Stat Comparisons BYU AF

Field Goals: .387 .396

Free Throws: .646 .711

Three-Pointers: .298 .360

Points Per Game: 55.8 61.2

Rebounds Per Game: 39.4 36.7

Series History

Record: 19-0 favoring BYU.

Last Meeting: During the 2006-07 league race, the Falcons and Cougars met three times, twice during the regular season, and then in the quarterfinals of the MWC Championships. In all three contests BYU picked up the victories. In Colorado Springs the score was 59-46 on 1/06/07, then in Provo, BYU won 70-40 on 2/8/07. Air Force advanced to the quarterfinals of the league tourney but fell to the Cougars 72-40.

WYOMING - Provo, Utah at 4 p.m. (02/02/08)

The Cowgirls come into this week's league action in first place ranked 18/19 and with a perfect 6-0 conference record. They play at Utah on Wed., 1/30/08 before Saturday's afternoon game. This year's squad returns all five starters from last year's team that won the postseason WNIT. Three players score in double figures for the Cowgirls with senior Hanna Zavecz toping the list at 14.7 points and 5.7 rebounds. She leads the team in assists dishing out 75 to date. She's followed by Justyna Podziemska who contributes 12.6 points and 5.6 rebounds. Rounding out the team's top scoring is sophomore guard Aubrey Vandiver who scores 11.5 points and grabs a team-high 6.6 boards per game. Joe Legerski is in his sixth year with the Cowgirls program.

Wyoming Probable Starters

Pos. # Name Ht Yr PPG RPG

F 05 Hanna Zavecz 6-0 Sr 14.7 5.7

F 10 Rebecca Vanderjagt 6-3 Jr 4.2 3.4

F 25 Justyna Podziemska 6-2 Sr 12.6 5.6

G 02 Jodi Bolerjack 5-9 Sr 8.8 1.8

G 12 Dominique Sisk 5-10 Sr 4.8 2.7

Stat Comparisons BYU WY

Field Goals: .387 .426

Free Throws: .646 .698

Three-Pointers: .298 .334

Points Per Game: 55.8 65.5

Rebounds Per Game: 39.4 35.8

Series History

Record: 42-18 favoring BYU.

Last Meeting: In last season's MWC race, the Cougars won both contests against the Cowgirls. On 1/13/07 in Provo BYU won the game on a last second three point bucket from senior guard Jennie Keele 55-52. In Laramie, the Cougars won 69-62 on 2/15/07.

Media Availability

Team Practice Times - at home

-The BYU team practices at the Marriott Center MWF from 11:30 a.m., to 1:30 p.m. On Tuesday's, practice is scheduled from 1 to 3 p.m., and on Thursday's from 11:30 to 2 p.m.

- Coach Judkins and players are available for interviews prior to or after practice. All interviews are scheduled in advance. Norma Collett is the Basketball Communications Director for the team and can be contacted by phone or email. Contact at: 801-422-4908, office, 801-372-0989, cell, and email norma_collett@byu.edu

Looking Ahead

After the two home games this week, the team will make a trip to Ft. Worth, Texas to take on the Horned Frogs of TCU on Tues., Feb. 5. The game will air live on the Mtn. at 7 p.m. CT. BYU then returns home for a Wed. Feb. 13 contest against CSU and then will travel to Las Vegas to take on UNLV on Feb. 16.